European Fundamental Rights Agency
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| European Fundamental Rights Agency | ||
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| Image:Flag of Europe.svg Agency of the European Union | ||
| Location: | Vienna, Austria | |
| Formation - Signed - Established | 2007 | |
| Pillar: | European Communities | |
| Director: | Dr Beate Winkle | |
| Website: | fra.europa.eu | |
The European Fundamental Rights Agency (formally, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights) is a Vienna-based agency of the European Union inaugurated on the 1 March 2007. It was established by Council Regulation (EC) No 168/2007 of 15 February 2007 as the successor to the European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC).
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[edit] Mandate
Its mandate is "collecting and analysing data on fundamental rights with reference to, in principle, all rights listed in the Charter"; however, it is intended to focus particularly on "the thematic areas within the scope of Union law". [1]. This is an expansion upon the scope of the present EUMC, which is restricted to issues of racism and xenophobia.
Like the previous EUMC, its primary methods of operation are investigation, reports, provision of expert assistance to EU bodies, member states, and EU candidate countries and potential candidate countries, and the education of the public. It is not intended to intervene in individual cases - that being the remit of the European Court of Human Rights - but rather investigate broad issues and trends.
The European Parliament tasked the agency to continue research started by MEPs into homophobia in Poland.[2]
[edit] Previous work of the EUMC
The "European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia" was also based in Vienna under Dr Beate Winkle. It grew from the Commission on Racism and Xenophobia (CRX), established in 1994, and also known as the Kahn Commission. In 1995, the Kahn the CRX was transformed into the EUMC in June 1998; officially established by Council Regulation (EC) No 1035/97 of 2 June 1997.
[edit] Report into rise in anti-semitic attacks in the EU
In 2003 a report labelled ‘Manifestations of Anti-Semitism in the EU 2002 – 2003’[1] was published. It catalogued the noted rise of attacks on Jewish businesses, synagogues, cemeteries and Jews themselves. The countries with the most significant number of attacks were Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands and the UK. It is the only report made by the EUMC on anti-Semitism.
[edit] Report into Islamophobia in the EU following 9/11
The largest monitoring project ever to be commissioned into Islamophobia was undertaken following 9/11 by the European Monitoring Centre for Racism and Xenophobia (EUMC).
From a total of 75 reports – 15 from each member state - a synthesis report was published in May 2002. Entitled "Summary report on Islamophobia in the EU after 11 September 2001" it was co-authored by Chris Allen [2] and Professor Jørgen S. Nielsen at the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom.
The report highlighted the occasions where Muslims face abusive and sometimes violent retaliatory attacks. Despite localised differences within each member nation, the recurrence of attacks at street level upon recognisable and visible traits of Islam and Muslims was the report's most significant finding: ranging from verbal abuse indiscriminately blaming all Muslims for the attacks; women having their hijab torn from their heads; male and female Muslims being spat at; children being called "Usama" as a term for insult and derision ; and random assaults. The representation of Muslims in the media was also noted. Some media's attempted to differentiate between Muslim terrorists and other Muslims but some did not.
Similar concerns about the role of politicians and other opinion leaders was also raised. Within the mainstream of political activity, some political leaders made immediate verbal statements stressing the need to differentiate between 'Muslims' and 'terrorists'. Other countries (such as Portugal) had no problem tarnishing all Muslims as violent militants.
The report therefore concluded that, "a greater receptivity towards anti-Muslim and other xenophobic ideas and sentiments has, and may well continue, to become more tolerated".[3]
[edit] See also
- Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union
- European Commissioner for Justice, Freedom & Security
- European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs & Equal Opportunities
- Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs
- Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality
- European Court of Justice
- European Court of Human Rights
- European Convention on Human Rights
[edit] External links
- Agency website europa.eu
- The European Fundamental Rights Agency comes into existence on 1 March 2007
- The EU Fundamental Rights Agency: Satellite or Guiding Star? Raison d'etre, tasks and challenges of the EU's new agency Details and analysis by Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik
- Council Regulation (EC) No 168/2007 of 15 February 2007 fra.europa.eu
[edit] References
- ^ Commission proposal ec.europa.eu
- ^ Polish homophobia reminiscent of Thatcher years, MEP says euobserver.com
- ^ ALLEN, C. & NIELSEN, J. (2002) Summary report on Islamophobia in the EU after 11 September 2001. Vienna: European Union Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia.
Human rights in Europe | |
|---|---|
| Sovereign states | Albania · Andorra · Armenia1 · Austria · Azerbaijan2 · Belarus · Belgium · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Bulgaria · Croatia · Cyprus1 · Czech Republic · Denmark · Estonia · Finland · France · Georgia2 · Germany · Greece · Hungary · Iceland · Ireland · Italy · Kazakhstan2 · Latvia · Liechtenstein · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Republic of Macedonia · Malta · Moldova · Monaco · Montenegro · Netherlands · Norway · Poland · Portugal · Romania · Russia3 · San Marino · Serbia · Slovakia · Slovenia · Spain · Sweden · Switzerland · Turkey3 · Ukraine · United Kingdom (England · Scotland · Northern Ireland · Wales) |
| Dependencies, autonomies, and other territories | Abkhazia2 · Adjara1 · Akrotiri and Dhekelia · Åland · Azores · Crimea · Faroe Islands · Gagauzia · Gibraltar · Guernsey · Jan Mayen · Jersey · Kosovo · Isle of Man · Madeira4 · Nagorno-Karabakh1 · Nakhchivan1 · South Ossetia2 · Svalbard · Transnistria · Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus1, 5 |
1 Entirely in Southwest Asia; included here because of cultural, political and historical association with Europe. 2 Partially or entirely in Asia, depending on the definition of the border between Europe and Asia. 3 Mostly in Asia. 4 Entirely in the African Plate, included here because of cultural, political and historical association with Europe. 5 Only recognised by Turkey. | |
cs:Agentura Evropské unie pro základní práva de:Agentur der Europäischen Union für Grundrechte fr:Agence des droits fondamentaux de l'Union européenne nl:Europees Bureau voor de grondrechten
